Gorbachev’s legacy stirs praise and rebuke across West and Russia
The Star Tribune reflects on Mikhail Gorbachev’s impact amid postwar change and the rise of Vladimir Putin. He is praised for openness and arms control advances that helped end the Cold War, while critics in Russia view his reforms as the USSR’s collapse. Comparisons to Reagan and Thatcher highlight Western engagement, with Gorbachev insisting reforms could not be reversed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Thatcher
Ronald Reagan
George H.W. Bush
Reagan
Mikhail Gorbachev
Gorbachev
Moscow
Soviet Union
U.S.S.R
Mitchel Wallerstein
Chicago Council On Global Affairs
Wallerstein
Department of Defense
U.S
Europe
Tom Hanson
University of Minnesota Duluth
Hanson
Foreign Service
Minnesota
Washington
St. Paul
Kyiv
Ukraine
Kremlin
Vladimir Putin
Putin
Andrei Sakharov
Sakharov
The
New York Times
Star Tribune
Margaret
Medina Gazette Letters to the Editor Guidelines
The Gazette invites letters to the editor and notes they may be edited for brevity and accuracy. Letters should be 250 words or fewer, with longer letters possibly shortened. Include name, full home address and phone number for verification. email preferred at letters medina-gazette.com or mail to The Gazette 885 W Liberty St Medina OH 44256.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
the Gazette
Medina-Gazette.com
W. Liberty St
Medina
Revisiting Gorbachev's Reputation Across Time
A synthesis of Taubman's portrait of Mikhail Gorbachev as a tragic hero who precipitated Soviet collapse through flawed reforms. The piece notes Gorbachev's reluctance to use violence, his combat with dissidents, and Reagan era tensions, while highlighting how leadership missteps and systemic rot eroded legitimacy. It cites Will, Shultz, and Allison on lessons for Xi Jinping and modern governance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ashington
Mikhail Gorbachev
Christopher Columbus
Gorbachev
Joseph Stalin
William Taubman
Amherst College
Taubman
Neil Kinnock
Britain
Labour Party
Natan Sharansky
Sharansky
Ronald Reagan
Soviet Union
Reagan
Afghanistan
Chernobyl
Kremlin
George P. Shultz
China
Graham Allison
Xi Jinping
Allison
Communist Party
United Nations
America
United States
Lenin
Karl] Kautsky
Broken political incentives stymie responsiveness in Missouri
Lynn Schmidt argues that bipartisan indifference from lawmakers and gerrymandered, hyper polarized districts erode representative government. She cites polls showing limited support for defunding the police and abortion restrictions, critiques reform efforts like Clean Missouri, and notes Missouri’s political landscape shaping voter impact and accountability.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bush
Morning Consult Politico
House
Missouri
Blunt
Senate
Hawley
Cook Political Report
Also Mentioned on This Page
Trump
Margulies Odwill
George Will
Washington Post
Georgewill
Washpost.com
Congress
Roy Blunt
Josh Hawley
Cori Bush
Emanuel Cleaver
Ann Wagner
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Vicki Hartzler
Sam Graves
Billy Long
Jason Smith
St. Louis University
YouGov
Ipsos
USA Today
Lynn Schmidt
St. Louis
Biden
Dunklin County
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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